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Nintendo Switch Firmware Update 5.0 Released

After the recent Nintendo Direct, it’s been a really exciting time for all Switch owners. In addition to major game announcements, Nintendo has also been hard at work on improving the Switch’s functionality. The new 5.0 update has officially been released.

There are a variety of life improvements for the Switch in the 5.0 update. The most important of these updates being that Nintendo has fixed the Switch’s playtime deletion glitch. The new update also has an improved friends functionality to include Facebook, Twitter, and Twitch friends who have linked their social accounts to their Switch. There are also new icons that have been added from ARMS and Kirby(24 new icons in total).

There have also been improvements to the eShop. Games purchased on a computer or mobile device through eShop will now download more quickly on the Switch than before. Additionally, the Switch will now automatically notify players when games they pre-purchased are downloaded.

Nintendo has also made some changes regarding parental controls system. Users now use their controllers to input their PIN instead of the touchscreen. Parents can also whitelist certain games regardless of their Switch’s rating settings, and captured videos will only be viewable if the game’s rating falls within the parental control restrictions.

This is a step in the right direction for the Switch. While the friend suggestion will be a nice tool, there is still no ways for players to directly communicate with their friends. Fret not Switch users because Nintendo has promised that the Switch will have a longer lifespan than usual and that there will be more focus on the multiplayer aspect of the console.